Athleisure: Revolutionizing the College Fashion Playing Field

By Brinlea La Barge

When we hear the word “fashion,” perhaps some of the first images that spring to mind are designer shoes, the runway, or shopping in New York City. These iconic symbols are central to the growing global industry, but what if the concept of fashion is more fluid than we thought? What if fashion, for the modern (college) consumer, looks nothing like the latest cover of Vogue, but is actually defined by the clothes we wear between classes, during nights in the library, or on the sports field?

The increasing popularity of athleisure has been readily embraced by college communities everywhere. For some student-athletes at Middlebury, the dynamic between sports, classes, and social life can be challenging to navigate; with demanding training schedules and weekend competitions, athletes on campus often struggle to find both time and energy to “dress up.” Swimmer Louise Kim ’23 explained that her daily schedule, which often includes two practices per day, prevents her from making an effort to construct “stylish” school outfits. Instead, Kim typically opts for a pair of leggings or joggers and a cozy sweatshirt.

“It’s too much effort to pick an outfit early in the morning and I don’t have any motivation to dress up since I have practice in the afternoon,” Kim said. “On the days that I do dress up, I always change into comfy clothes after practice.”

Meanwhile, for other athletes at Middlebury, dressing up for class is simply part of the everyday routine. Michaela Sullivan ’22, a member of the women’s basketball team, said she prefers to don “regular” clothes to class — wide-cut jeans and a knit sweater, paired with white sneakers, gold jewelry, and a leather tote bag — because a polished school look empowers her to be more productive.

“[Wearing non-athletic clothes] gives me an opportunity to express different versions of myself and not just my athlete-self,” Sullivan said, “[and] allows me to differentiate between my athletic commitments and my academic commitments. I’m much more productive when I have a put-together outfit on than when I’m wearing athleisure sports gear.”

But for many athletes, “athleisure” perfectly combines elements of fashion, sports, and leisure into one sophisticated look. First introduced around 1979, the innovative concept has popularized in recent years, expanding to become an estimated $300 billion worldwide market. Although students’ favorite brands on campus include Lululemon, Nike, and Alo, the athleisure style has also spread to many luxury labels, such as Tory Burch or Stella McCartney.

The flexibility of athleisure-wear is what attracts students to the trend. When Sullivan isn’t decked out in traditional school apparel, you can probably spot her running between activities in these comfortable clothes.

“Athleisure allows me to wear comfortable, trendy clothes before, during, and after workouts,” Sullivan said. “It is such a versatile style of clothing, which would explain why I wear some form of it at least once a day.”

Of course, athleisure isn’t reserved only for student-athletes: the look can adapt to almost every individual fashion choice, as it can be easily paired with any basic accessory or clothing item. Tennis skirts, for example, have become a popular way to dress up the athleisure look both on and off the court. For Kennedy Coleman ’21, tennis skirts offer everyday comfort and style, even though she hasn’t participated in the sport in years.

“I just genuinely feel so cute and confident in tennis skirts even though I haven’t played tennis since I was 14 and have absolutely no functional reason to wear them,” Coleman said. “I like super short, bouncy skirts, and tennis skirts are a comfortable way to pull off that look since they have built in spandex. I think they look super cute with cropped graphic tees or oversized crewnecks and platform sneaks with crew socks.”

Women’s tennis’ Ruhi Kamdar spots this trend — which students often choose to pair with white Nike trainers — all across campus. Kamdar, who dabbles in clothing repurposing and fashion, lent a few of her favorite tips for styling outfits at school.

“Biker shorts are trending right now and there are many different ways you can style [them],” Kamdar said. “Throwing on a blazer or another piece of outerwear can always make a simple style look more chic. Athleisure also works by accessorizing with jewelry, like chunky necklaces and earrings.”

For athletes and non-athletes alike, athleisure has certainly revolutionized the fashion playing field at Middlebury and beyond.

“Athleisure is everywhere,” Kamdar said. “It’s like the new casual — definitely a game changer.”